


i'm just a teenage dirtbag (and you're my queen)

by comebackbehere



Series: Will You Teach Me How To Fly [3]
Category: Descendants (2015)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-07 23:31:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11634216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comebackbehere/pseuds/comebackbehere
Summary: These are little blurbs of Evie and Mal's relationship.





	1. you can't always get what you want (but you can try)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hi! Hello! Hey! Ah, good 'ol Descendants... I've missed writing for this ship. Anyway, these little blurbs tie into my previous fic "Will You Teach Me How To Fly" and to save you from having to read it (but you totally should anyway wink, wink) Here are a few things you should know:
> 
> \- Ben and Evie are siblings.
> 
> \- Evie, Jay, and a handful of other villains (including Hayden, son of Hades, who will be mentioned because he's dating Lonnie) were taken off the Isle when they were toddlers, but Mal and Carlos were left behind.
> 
> \- Mal and Evie are (obviously) going to be established in these blurbs, and they all take place after Descendants 2.
> 
> \- Yes, I plan to make a sequel to WYTMHTF and it will focus on the Descendants 2 storyline.
> 
> Now, onward with the story!

Mal is avoiding her.

 

It has been a few weeks since the mess of Ben’s cotillion and Evie has only just calmed down from the trauma of being kidnapped by Uma and her little band of pirates. Foolishly, Evie expects everything to fall back into place; she expects to get back the girl she loves, she expects for Mal to feel better. But she doesn’t. If anything, she’s worse. She goes out of her way to make sure that her and Evie aren’t alone together, and if they are then Mal barely says two words to her. Just like before, Evie can feel Mal slowly slipping away and she is doing everything she can to hang on. She doesn’t think she’ll live through the pain of losing Mal again, she doesn’t know if she has anymore fight in her; that battle on the Isle was enough for a lifetime. So, she decides to give her girlfriend her space and just carry on as if nothing is happening.

 

“Lady Evie!”

 

Evie sighs as Ben’s newest assistant rushes to her with wide eyes, “Is there something I can help you with, Debra? I’m a little preoccupied.”

 

“I was sent to ask if you plan to attend the dinner this evening,” Debra breathes out with pink cheeks as she presses her planner to her chest. “The king has everything arranged, but you are the only one who hasn’t given a definite answer.”

 

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it. I have too much on my plate.” Evie sighs as she gestures to the piles of material around her. “Send my regards to my brother and the guests, I’ll see them at school later on this week.”

 

Debra falters, “I was told to ensure you go…”

 

“I’m sorry, but the answer is no.” Evie replies as she turns her back to the woman and waves her off with a quick flick of her wrist. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’m tied up with something and I need to finish it. Excuse me for not showing you the way out.”

 

Evie tilts her head and listens as Debra slowly leaves the room, and she breathes out a sigh of relief when the door clicks closed behind her. As soon as she is sure she’s alone, Evie reaches up to pull her tiara from her blue locks before she sets it aside and stares at the gleaming jewels. Ever since she was on the Isle, Evie has had nightmares; well, not so much nightmares as memories. Being in that awful place had shaken awake something that she was sure was locked away, and all she has done lately is attempt to fight against it. Evie feels so alone; Ben has his kingly duties, Audrey is busy running council, Jay is occupied with Carlos, Carlos is stuck on teaching Dude new tricks, Lonnie and Hayden are going through things, and her girlfriend? Well, Evie isn’t so sure she can even count on Mal at this point.

 

“Knock, knock.”

 

Evie smiles softly as she turns her head, “Hi, Dad.”

 

“What are you doing locked away in here?” Adam asks as he steps inside and arches an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be scouring your closet for something to wear to Ben’s dinner tonight.”

 

“I’m not going.” Evie whispers as she focuses her attention on the material in front of her. “I have more pressing matters to take care of, I’m sure I won’t be missed.”

 

“You light up the room, sweetheart. I think you’ll be missed.” Adam chuckles as he moves to press a kiss to the top of her head before he lowers himself onto the seat beside her. “So, how about you tell me what’s _really_ going on?”

 

Evie cringes, “Nothing.”

 

“You never were a very good liar, Evelyn,” Adam smiles with a fond shake of his head. “How do you expect me to help you if I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours?”

 

“I…” Evie trails off and she reaches up with a careful touch to catch a tear that slowly escapes. “Dad, I’ve been _remembering_ things. A-And Ben is busy with the kingdom and Jay has Carlos and Mal is...I don’t even know. I just feel so alone.”

 

Adam looks at her with a look of sadness, “Oh, Evelyn.”

 

“Ever since we left the Isle, Mal has been a million miles away and I don’t know what I did wrong. I’ve tried everything.” Evie sniffles. “I thought everything would be better after the cotillion, I thought we could work through everything.”

 

“Have you told her any of this?” Adam asks.

 

“How can I?” Evie scoffs as she continues to wipe away her tears. “If we’re in the same room together for longer than thirty seconds then she bolts, and she doesn’t respond to my texts. It’s like she doesn’t want to talk to me.”

 

“A lot has happened over the last three weeks, sweetie.” Adam points out. “Both you and Mal have been tested, and your relationship has been put through quite the turmoil. Have you considered that Mal might be trying to protect you?”

 

“From what?” Evie scoffs.

 

Adam chuckles and shakes his head, “Your girlfriend is a dragon, dear.”

 

“So? Am I supposed to be scared now?” Evie demands as she pouts her lower lip. “I don’t care that she’s a dragon, at the end of the day she’s still _my_ Mal. She’s still afraid of bananas, she still likes her hot chocolate with ice cubes, she still prefers fingerless gloves, she still hates the snow, and she still…”

 

“I think I get it, Evelyn.” Adam laughs.

 

“I just...she’s still the girl that I love.” Evie whispers as she ducks her head. “But what if she realizes I’m not the girl she loves anymore?”

 

“Evelyn Isabelle,” Adam begins, and Evie immediately quiets as her father stares at her with a stern frown. “Your mother and I have taught you what happens when you make assumptions. You need to talk to her.”

 

Evie nods slowly, “Okay.”

 

“As for those things that your remembering,” Adam sighs as he reaches out to tilt Evie’s chin up with a gentle expression. “Your mother and I feared there would be repercussions to you being on the Isle. Do you want us to setup an appointment with a friend of Dr. Winters?”

 

“I don’t know.” Evie admits as she furrows her brow slowly. “Right now all I can focus on is fixing this thing with Mal, everything else can wait. I can only handle so much at a time.”

 

Adam laughs at her disgruntled expression, “You look exactly like your mother when you make that face, it’s no wonder how you managed to get everything you ever asked for.”

 

“Thank you, Dad.” Evie whispers as she stands and smooths her dress down before she moves to wrap her arms around her father’s neck. “I know how hard its been for you and mom to accept my relationship, but I’m so thankful that you do. I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.” Adam smiles as he stands, and Evie squeals as her father lifts her up and gives a playful twirl. “Now, go get ready for that dinner and I’ll see you tomorrow for tea.”

 

Evie nods as her father sets her safely back on her feet and leaves her with a kiss on the head. As soon as he’s gone, the worry fills her once more. As much as she likes to kid herself, Evie isn’t as confident as everyone believes. Just like the rest of her friends, she goes through patches of wondering how she ended up with such a good life. With a soft sigh, Evie slowly lowers herself back to her seat and reaches to run her fingertips over the diamonds on her favorite tiara. Part of her wants to stay safely locked in her sewing room, but she knows that running from her problems won’t do anything; all she can do now is face them head on and hope that somehow everything works out.

 

-

 

Mal tries to pretend she doesn’t spend the whole dinner looking for Evie. She expected the princess to pop up, but they’re halfway through the main course and her girlfriend has yet to make an appearance. It makes her feel a little breathless, Mal has been careful about keeping Evie in her eyeline since they got back from the Isle. She doesn’t think she can handle it if something else happens to Evie, especially if it involves something from Mal’s past. With a sigh, she pushes the pasta around on her plate as the background buzz of laughter sounds while her friends chatter on about life. Mal thinks of excusing herself, she just wants to go back go her dorm room and wallow in self-pity. Just as she is getting the nerve to make her exit, she perks up as she hears the soft rap of heels and she glances up to watch as Evie walks through the archway with an apologetic frown, and Ben immediately stands with a smile to greet her.

 

“Hey, Debra said you weren’t coming down.” Ben frowns as he pulls out a chair from Evie. “Want me to get you a plate?”

 

“Oh, no. I’m sorry, I didn’t come down to join you guys.” Evie murmurs, and she visibly flinches as Ben deflates. “I’m sorry, Ben. I promise I’ll plan the next dinner and I’ll even attend. If you’ll excuse me, I just came down for some water.”

 

Mal feels a sting of pain when Evie barely acknowledges her presence, she simply gives Mal a nod before she turns to walk away with her water. As soon as the large wooden doors close behind her, Mal is out of her seat and following her girlfriend. She can’t take it anymore, she can’t keep avoiding Evie. She sees how it’s affecting Evie, she can see the dark rings under her eyes and how she seems to dim with each day. With ease, Mal makes her way through the spacious castle and finally pushes her way into the sewing room; she feels her heart ache when she sees Evie glaring down at a half sewed dress before she gives up and pushes it away.

 

“E?”

 

Evie tenses and doesn’t turn to look at her, “Yes?”

 

“Are you okay?” Mal asks.

 

“Why does it matter to you?” Evie scoffs as she shakes her head. “You’ve barely said two words to me since the cotillion, it’s a wonder you haven’t just broken up with me. I mean, that’s what you wanted to do before you ran off to the Isle.”

 

“I see that you’re angry…” Mal begins hesitantly.

 

“I’m not _angry,_  Mal. I’m hurt.” Evie hisses, and the words crack halfway through as she finally turns to face Mal. “What happened to us being unbreakable? What did I do to drive you away again?”

 

“Evie,” Mal breathes out, and she slowly crosses the room so she can kneel before her girlfriend with her curled fists resting on Evie’s knees. “It isn’t you. I’m just...scared. You were kidnapped, spelled, and almost drowned because of me. You were used as a pawn in a grudge that should’ve been buried years ago. It’s just...everytime I look at you I worry about what’s going to happen to you next.”

 

Evie softens as she reaches out to curl a gentle strand of hair behind Mal’s ear, “Uma’s decision to target me isn’t something that should haunt you, Mal. I’m okay.”

 

“They hurt you.” Mal chokes out.

 

“But you saved me.” Evie reminds her.

 

Mal licks her lips as she locks their gazes, “You saved me too.”

 

“Can we please just go back to being us? I miss you. I know we both have things to work out, but we can do it together.” Evie assures her. “You and me against the world, remember?”

 

“You and me, and every space in between.” Mal nods as she lifts her head slightly. “Look, I’m not good with all the mushy _emotions_ but I hope you know that I never stopped loving you. Even when I was running away, even when I abandoned everything, your happiness was the only thing that mattered to me.”

 

Evie laughs her way through a choked sob, “We are an absolute mess.”

 

“Yeah, but it’s kind of perfect.” Mal shrugs as she stands and carefully lowers herself to straddle Evie’s lap. “ _We_ are perfect. And I know that we’ll find our way back to how we were, but for now let’s enjoy what we have right here. We should make the most of having a second alone.”

 

“I’m not having sex with you in my sewing room, Mal. Don’t even try to pout.” Evie teases as her hands curl around Mal’s hips. “But if you have another place in mind…”

 

Mal perks up and scrambles from Evie’s lap, “I know just the place!”

 

“Not the art room.” Evie orders as she accepts the hand Mal holds out to her, and she smiles at Mal’s huff. “Try again.”

 

“The kitchen?”

 

“Ben has guests.” Evie reminds her.

 

Mal rolls her eyes, “The living room?”

 

“Once again, we have guests.” Evie giggles.

 

“Gym?”

 

Evie scrunches her nose, “Ew.”

 

“Alright, my princess,” Mal growls as she tugs Evie to her and her eyes glow as a small moan escapes Evie. “How about you stop being a pillow princess and tell me _where_ we can go?”

 

“Mm,” Evie drops her head to nip at Mal’s lower lip as she smirks. “The movie room does have a very comfortable couch.”

 

Mal nods as she eagerly begins to tug Evie, “That will most definitely do.”

  
As Evie stumbles after Mal, she can’t help but think that they’re on the right track back to perfect.


	2. i couldn't save you then, but i will now

“I happen to think this is a terrible idea…”

 

“I second that.”

 

Mal rolls her eyes as Carlos and Lonnie whisper, “If you two don’t stop talking then we’re going to get busted and then we’re all screwed.”

 

“Babe, they’re kind of right.” Evie murmurs into her ear as she squeezes Mal’s hand while her girlfriend leads her along. “Where exactly are we going? It’s way past curfew.”

 

“You guys seriously don’t know what tonight is? Carlos?” Mal scoffs as she pauses and looks back at the pajama clad group trailing her. “I can’t be the only one who knows what tonight is.”

 

“Apparently you are.” Audrey grumbles.

 

“Where are we going?” Jane yawns.

 

“We’re going up there.” Mal beams as she points to a high hill that is slightly off campus, and she rolls her eyes as everyone stops short. “Come on, don’t flake out on me now.”

 

“We could get expelled for this.” Jay drawls.

 

“You’re being dramatic.” Mal scoffs.

 

Carlos rubs tiredly at his eyes as he stares at his best friend, “There are only three things that make Mal this crazy. Chocolate, Evie, and...oh yeah! It’s the Isle firework show!”

 

“Yes it is.” Mal beams as she rubs her hands together eagerly while Evie watches on with a tired look of adoration. “I’ve been scoping out spots for days, and the hill has the best line of sight. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

 

Audrey rolls her eyes and grabs Ben hand, “Well, we’re already out here. Let’s go.”

 

Evie can’t help but giggle at the way Mal lights up and begins to tug her up the hill, “I didn’t know you liked fireworks this much…”

 

“They’re fantastic. First of all, they’re actually amazing to paint.” Mal begins as they lug their way up the tall hill. “Second of all, they make a big boom and you get to play with fire.”

 

“Of course.” Evie snorts as they reach the top.

 

“This is kind of stupid, but I  _ love _ fireworks.” Mal mumbles as she begins to spread out the blanket for Evie and herself. “I don’t know why, but this was always the best part of the Isle.”

 

“It’s not stupid at all.” Evie assures her with a small yawn as she gracefully lowers herself to the blanket before she makes grabby hands towards Mal. “If you like this than I am more than willingly ready to sit through the whole thing.”

 

Mal plops down and Evie lays against her, “Cool.”

 

Around them, Mal sees the couples already getting comfortable on the soft grass; she didn’t think to even bring blankets for them, her main concern was for Evie and herself. A small, barely there smile appears on her face as she watches Lonnie immediately snuggle into Hayden’s side with an exhausted expression. Behind them, Ben pulls a grumpy Audrey into his lap and scatters kisses along her neck until she giggles and turns to push a hand against his mouth. A few feet down, Jay scoots back and parts his legs until Carlos can carefully slip between them before he takes hold of Jay’s muscular arms and guides them around his small frame. Everyone is so happy, so at peace. Mal suddenly doesn’t have that many regrets of pulling everyone out of bed, they needed this; after all the drama that has happened, a good firework show was definitely a must.

 

“You’re thinking very loudly.”

 

Mal smiles as she looks down at the girl curled into her chest, “And you’re squirming like crazy...do I need to take you back to the dorm and have a bit of a strip search? I don’t want you getting bit up by a bunch of ants.”

 

“Cute.” Evie grins. “But seriously...what are you thinking about?”

 

“I was thinking about how this is a good idea, we needed this.” Mal shrugs as she glances to where Chad and Jane are cuddling. “It’s been a terrible month, and I wanted to end it somewhat happy. And what’s better than things exploding?”

 

Evie giggles, but it fades into a gasp as the first firework whistles into the sky and explodes in a burst of green. Mal grins as everyone begins to make sounds of awe as they watch the way the night lights up with different colors. A small smile crosses her face as she looks down at Evie, and she swallows hard as she sees the way the colors of the fireworks reflect in the softness of her brown eyes; it’s an almost intoxicating sight and Mal doesn’t want to look away. For a moment she is hit with the memory that she wanted to give this up; it makes her ill to think that she was so ready to just let Evie go. A low growl builds her throat as she thinks of the princes that would’ve flocked to Evie once she was out of the picture and she can’t help but tighten her grasp on her girlfriend as she continues to watch her.

 

“You’re missing it.” Evie whispers.

 

“I’m not missing anything, princess.” Mal smirks.

 

“If only everyone knew how romantic you really are, they’d be swooning over you so much that I’d be be banishing people left and right.” Evie teases as she tilts her head back and hums happily as Mal drops a kiss to her lips. “This was a good idea, look how happy everyone is.”

 

Mal glances up to the smiling faces while her arms tighten around Evie, “That’s great and everything, but are  _ you  _ happy?”

 

“I’m with you.” Evie points out as she smothers a yawn against Mal’s shoulder before she flashes her a blinding smile. “Of course I’m happy.”

 

A flush appears on her cheeks and she’s glad the fireworks melt it away, and all she can do is pull Evie closer and look up at the sky. The fireworks continue on, but Mal can feel Evie’s excitement dying away as her eyes grow heavier with exhaustion. Mal frowns as hears the first soft whimper that is followed quickly by a second. Immediately, she can feel the way Evie tenses in her arms and her heart breaks as she looks down to watch the way fear flickers and then settles on in expression. With a soft sigh, Mal runs her finger along the bridge of Evie’s nose and traces her frowning lips before she tilts her girlfriend’s head up so she can lean down. It breaks her heart to hear the way Evie pleads in her sleep, the way she tells Uma  _ no  _ and how she begs Harry to  _ please, just stop _ . It makes Mal want to go back to the island and show them how bad she really can be; and this time, this time she wouldn’t leave until she made sure that the entire Isle knew that the people Mal loves are off limits, especially her princess.

 

“Eves,” Mal whispers. “Hey, wake up.”

 

“Just untie my hands.” Evie pleads.

 

Mal is careful as she reaches down to run her fingers over the small scars left from the intense rope burn, “Your hands are untied, E. You’re okay, you’re with me.”

 

“M-Mal?” Evie rasps.

 

“Yeah, babe. It’s me.” Mal nods as she runs her fingers through silky blue locks, and Evie seems to settle as a sleepy smile appears. “You okay? You were having a nightmare.”

 

“M’not.” Evie protests.

 

Mal frowns as she tilts her head, “But…”

 

“S’okay, baby.” Evie yawns. “I’m gonna go back to sleep now.”

 

Mal rolls her eyes in slight worry as she settles her lips on top of Evie’s head, “Don’t get too comfortable, princess. We have to leave soon and there’s no way I can carry you back.”

 

“Ben will carry me.” Evie slurs.

 

“I think he might be too busy carrying his own girlfriend, E.” Mal chuckles as she bounces Evie’s head against her shoulder until she finally stirs with a loud whine. “Come on, princess. Let’s go back to the dorm room.”

 

“But the fireworks…” Evie pouts.

 

“There will be other firework shows.”

 

Mal is a little surprised that she doesn’t feel an ounce of disappointment as she stands and helps Evie to her feet before she walks away from her favorite part of the Isle. The swell of love blossoms through her, and she blinks in awe at just how in love with Evie she is; just one look or smile from her girlfriend, and she’s a goner. Mal smiles as she drapes the blanket over Evie’s shoulders before she begins to lead her girlfriend back down the hill. Evie is half asleep by the time she makes it to the dorm, and Mal grunts with the effort of pushing Evie onto the mattress and pulling her legs up. As soon as Evie is comfortable, her hand shoots up and Mal snorts as she crawls onto the bed and lies with their noses brushing and their knees pressed together.

 

“They always come back at night.”

 

Mal startles at Evie’s voice, “Huh?”

 

“I-I can feel Harry’s hook on my cheek, and sometimes I can feel Uma’s sword against my neck. They...they always come at night.” Evie murmurs as she reaches to curl her hands in Mal’s dragon covered pajama shirt. “Don’t let them get me, Mal. Please.”

 

“They’ll have to go through a very, very scary dragon and an entire set of guards that your brother keeps posted outside the dorms.” Mal frowns as she skirts her fingers through Evie’s hair. “You’re safe, I won’t let them hurt you.”

 

“Promise?” Evie whimpers.

 

Mal nods and presses her lips to Evie’s forehead, “If there is one thing I can promise it’s that I will always protect you. I’m sorry I didn’t before, but I will now. You’re safe.”

  
After a moment, Evie gives into the comfort of Mal’s fingers in her hair and finally drifts off. As the night passes on, Mal stays awake with burning eyes and a deep seed of hatred growing for Uma and Harry; their little feud wasn’t over, not by a long shot.


	3. they’re my angels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sentences from the '100 Sentence Prompts' from my Tumblr. They also tie into 'we're so close yet so far apart'.

**“Before sunrise, they are your child/children.”**

 

* * *

 

Mal can hear them.

 

Of course she can, she is so in tune with the twins that sometimes it frightens her. She can hear them giggling in the hallway, and she rolls onto her side so she can stare at the sleeping face in front of her. With a soft smile, Mal reaches out to trace the delicate features of her wife and watches with a soft expression as Evie’s nose scrunches and she attempts to squirm away from the touch. After a moment, lashes flutter open and Evie looks to her with a pout that still manages to make Mal feel a little weak at the knees. Even after all these years, one look at her princess and she completely melts into a puddle; and it doesn’t help that their sons seemed to have inherited that ability as well.

 

“Hm?” Evie hums.

 

Mal grins in amusement, “Luke and Jamie are up.”

 

“What? Why?” Evie pouts.

 

“Because, just like their very beautiful mother, they like to start their mornings early.” Mal whispers as she scoots closer to Evie. “I got them yesterday so it’s your turn.”

 

“No way. Before sunrise, they are  _ your  _ children. Good luck.” Evie smirks, and she can’t help but peck Mal’s pout away before she grabs her hand to settle it on her swelling abdomen. “Plus, your tiny princess is still tired.”

 

“Alright, alright. You don’t play fair.” Mal grumbles.

 

Mal stares at Evie for a moment longer before she presses a kiss to her forehead and slides from their comfortable bed. A shiver runs down her spine as her feet touch the cold hardwood floor, and she curls her arms around herself to gather some warmth. As soon as she tiptoes out of her bedroom, she can make out the sound of one of the twins humming happily and she patters down the hallway with a frown. As soon as she pokes her head in Jamie’s room, she stops short as she sees the mess of leather and polos. Unlike his brother, Jamie normally keeps his room spotless; he prides himself on his bright yellow room being clean and well put together, much like himself.

 

“What are you doing?” Mal demands.

 

Jamie jumps in surprise as he turns to face her, “Hi, Mama!”

 

“Hi mama doesn’t answer my question.” Mal frowns as she bends down to scoop up a t-shirt. “Your mom just organized your closet, James. Why are all your clothes on the floor?”

 

“I wanna wear a sweater.” The five-year-old huffs.

 

Mal arches an eyebrow before she walks past the child and reaches for his white oversized comfy sweater, “This one?”

 

“That one!” Jamie squeaks as he eagerly takes it from his mother and nuzzles his nose against the fluffy material. “Thanks, Mama.”

 

“No problem, Jimmy Jam.” Mal yawns as she rubs at her eyes and takes a moment to ruffle Jamie’s bedridden raven colored locks. “But clean up this room, your mom will flip if she sees it.”

 

“Ugh, it’s gonna take  _ forever _ !” Jamie whines as he tosses his head back with a pout while Mal simply snorts. “Can’t I just leave it and close the door so mommy won’t see?”

 

“Ha. Like that will work. Nice try though.” Mal smirks as she pauses in the doorway and watches her son for a moment.

 

Mal can’t help but wonder how she and Evie did this, how they ended up with two amazing little boys and a little girl on the way. Sometimes she marvels in it, when her wife is chasing the boys through the castle hallways or cuddling them on the couch, she has to stop and remind herself where she came from. Somehow, that terrified little girl from the Isle has found a happiness that some could only dream of; and she found it with a princess nonetheless. With one last smile, Mal leaves the bedroom and continues down the hallway where she pokes her head in and rolls her eyes.

 

“And what are  _ you  _ doing?” Mal laughs.

 

Luke glances up at her from where he is lying on the bed with his head hanging off the edge, “I’m trying to see how long it takes before my eyeballs pop out. Uncle Jay said they would.”

 

“Dude, we’ve talked about you listening to your uncles.” Mal reminds him with an amused grin as she moves to clamber on the the bed and mock his position. “This is really uncomfortable.”

 

“So?” Luke scoffs.

 

Mal can’t help but smirk because Luke is definitely her mini me, while he resembles Evie physically he definitely has inherited Mal’s personality. From the time they were two, Luke has shadowed Mal and makes sure that he looks to her so he can match whatever facial expression she has. Jamie, on the other hand, struts just like Evie and flashes his dimples in order to achieve getting what he wants. But both her boys are perfect, even with the incident of Jamie having been removed from his classroom because he started a fashion show that consisted of a runway of desks. And she finds it adorable that Luke is fearless and likes to climb up in trees so he can shoot spitballs at people. In her eyes, they can do no wrong.

 

“Whatcha doin’?”

 

Mal slowly sits up as Jamie marches into the room with his hands on his hips and already dressed in a sweater and shorts, “Your brother is trying to make his eyeballs pop out.”

 

“Ew.” Jamie whines.

 

“And because your his twin, if one pops out then you have to give up one too.” Mal teases, and her eyes go wide when Jamie screams and clamps his tiny hands over his eyes. “James, wait…”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Mal winces as Evie rushes to the door and stops herself by hanging on the frame, “Nothing. My joke was just  _ so  _ funny that James decided he wanted to scream about it.”

 

“Luke is gonna take my eyeball, Mommy!” Jamie cries as he rushes towards Evie and bounces on his toes till she scoops him up. “Don’t let them take my eyes away!”

 

“No one is taking your eyes, baby.” Evie assures him as she flashes Mal a small glare. “Your mama was only playing a joke.”

 

Jamie simmers and huffs, “That was a mean joke.”

 

“Yes it was.” Evie nods as she presses a kiss to Jamie’s head. “How about you and I go have Constance whip us up some pancakes while mama helps Luke get dressed?”

 

“Strawberry pancakes?” Jamie asks as he plays with one of Evie’s curls.

 

“And blueberry.” Evie grins as she tickles his stomach.

  
Mal turns and laughs softly as she sees that Luke has crawled back on his pillows and is fast asleep. With a shrug, Mal considers waking him but instead scrambles onto the bed to join him. As she pulls him into her arms and listens to her wife and son giggle as they head downstairs, she can’t help but thank the stars that she is here; somehow she has the one thing she never thought she would, a family.


	4. the blame game

**“When was the last time you slept?”**

* * *

 

 

They diagnosis Evie with PTSD, and her parents quickly put her in therapy. At first, it works. She is able to sleep a little better, and the anxiety medication they put her on is a blessing but then the nightmares start up. Evie lays in bed and stares up at the ceiling, she counts the plastic stars that Ben put up their first year; she makes wishes on them, she wishes that this ache inside of her would go away. But it doesn’t, it just gets worse and she pretends that it isn’t real. She pretends that she’s had a good night’s sleep in a week, and she pretends like the moment her eyes close she doesn’t think of is the Isle.

 

The worst though are the nights when she remembers the feeling of being under Uma’s strong influence. She remembers trying so hard to fight it, trying to hang onto her memories of Mal; she even remembers how it hadn’t worked at first and how angry Uma had gotten. The worst part is remembering how rough Uma had been with her when she kissed her, how she pulled away and looked at Mal who looked so betrayed and disgusted. That’s what haunts her to the most, the way her body and love was used as a way to inflict revenge on Mal.

 

Audrey tries as hard as she can to comfort her, and sometimes she wordlessly crawls into Evie’s bed at night and falls asleep beside her. Evie appreciates it, but all she wants is Mal. When she is with her girlfriend, Evie feels safer; she knows that Mal will never let another thing happen to her, she knows she’ll always be cared for with Mal beside her. On the same hand, Evie doesn’t want to torture her girlfriend with anymore guilt. She knows how hard Mal is still struggling with it all, and she refuses to add to that.

 

“Evie?”

 

Evie startles as she blinks up at Ben, “Hm?”

 

“You okay?” Ben asks in a low voice.

 

“I’m fine.” Evie nods as she forces a strained smile onto her face. “My meds have just been making me a little tired since they upped the dosage.”

 

Ben studies her for a moment before his face softens ever so slightly, “You’re lying.”

 

“I don’t want to talk about this.” Evie snaps as she looks down at the book in her lap, a book she doesn’t even remember grabbing. “Just leave it alone, Ben. Please.”

 

“I will. For now.” Ben sighs as he makes his way to the doors of the study and pauses to glance back at Evie. “Mal is worried about you. Everyone is.”

 

Evie ignores him. Or maybe she doesn’t hear him at all, Ben really can’t tell. But he can see from his sister’s expression that she’s a million miles away. With a frown of defeat he leaves, but instead of returning to his office he simply closes the door and sinks down against the wood. On the other side of the door, Evie bites her lip until it bleeds and closes her eyes to fight the images playing in her head; yet she can’t escape them, she never will.

 

-

 

_“Tie her up.”_

 

_“You don’t have to do this.”_

 

_“Oh, but I do.”_

 

Evie thrashes helplessly in her bed as the nightmare plagues her. She can feel the fingers curling around her bicep and squeezing until she is sure there will be a hand shaped bruise left in his wake. The smell of salt and dead fish is potent as she is tossed against a pole and her head snaps back hard against the wood. And then hands are all over her; they pull at her, tighten a rope around her, and brush over her cheek while she stares into faceless monsters. As soon as she hears a cackle she knows what is coming, a scream rips from her throat as they pull the ropes around her wrist tight enough to dig into her porcelain skin.

 

“Evie! Evie, darling, wake up!”

 

Evie whimpers as she shudders in a breath and feels familiar arms wrap around her, “Mommy?”

 

“It’s me, sweetheart. I’m here.” Belle soothes as she rests a hand against Evie’s head and guides her to rest on her shoulder. “Your guard heard you screaming from down the hall, he ran to get me as soon as he realized you weren’t stopping.”

 

“I-It was just a dream?” Evie shudders out.

 

“It was just a dream, baby. You’re safe.” Belle assures as she holds Evie to her. “Tale as old as time, true as it can be. Barely even friends then somebody bends unexpectedly.”

 

Evie sniffles and laughs, “Really?”

 

“I used to sing this song to you and Ben when you’d have nightmares, I’m not stopping now.” Belle teases with a small smile. “Just a little change, small to say that least. Both a little scared, neither of them prepared. Beauty and the beast.”

 

“I don’t want to close my eyes…” Evie admits.

 

Belle frowns, “Why?”

 

“I don’t want to see them.” Evie replies as she winds her arms around Belle’s waist. “Mommy, will you please stay with me?”

 

“Of course, Evie.” Belle assures her as she scoots back on the bed and carefully pulls Evie into her. “I won’t leave you, okay?”

 

“Pinky promise?”

 

Belle smiles as she looks down at the teen in her arms, and for a moment she is reminded of Evie with chubby cheeks and unruly curls. She looks down at the terrified girl in her arms and all she sees is that little girl she met in the clinic. Her eyes burn with tears, but she is quick to blink them away as she tightens her grasp on Evie and ducks her head to press a kiss to silky blue hair.

 

“Pinky promise.”

 

-

 

Evie stops going to therapy, she doesn’t see a point anymore. All her doctor does is hum and scribble things down on a pad of paper, and he doesn’t _understand._ He tells her that she has to let time heal her wounds, but how is time supposed to heal wounds that never stop bleeding? So, she takes to ditching her sessions and plastering on fake smiles as she tries to move on with her life. It works for a while, but she knows people are catching on; she’s always irritated, she snaps at everyone but Mal and Ben, and she pretty much takes herself out of spending time with her friends.

 

“This will be good for you.”

 

Evie glares towards Audrey, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Okay.” Audrey shrugs.

 

“I have homework. I don’t need to be attending a movie night.” Evie grumbles as Audrey taps a little beat against Jane’s dorm door. “I’m going to go back to our dorm and…”

 

“There you are.”

 

Evie gasps and turns with fear filled eyes until she sees that it’s only Mal, “Hi.”

 

“Hi.” Mal replies in a slow tone.

 

“It’s about time you guys got here,” Jay greets as he opens the door and ushers them in. “You’ve missed all the fun. Dude ate all of the gummies, Carlos has made himself into a blanket burrito, Lonnie and Hayden won’t stop making out, and Chad is arguing with Jane over what movie to watch.”

 

Mal takes Evie’s hand as they walk into the dorm room, “I thought we agreed on a horror.”

 

“Chad wants a romantic comedy.” Jay sighs with a roll of his eyes.

 

Eventually, everything is sorted out and the group spreads themselves all over Jane’s large dorm room while a suspenseful soundtrack plays. Evie is tucked into the corner of the couch with her knees pulled up to her chest and her chin resting on her kneecap as she tries to pretend she’s the least bit interested. She hasn’t ever really been fond of scary movies, especially right now. She can already feel the telltale signs of a panic attack building as she looks around the darkened room and tries to block out the screaming pouring from the TV speakers.

 

She tries to stay, she does, but after yet another scream she can’t help but press her hands over her ears. Mal is the first to notice her discomfort and as soon as Evie sees a hand reaching for her she is quick to jump up from the couch. All of her friends are suddenly replaced with smirking pirates and she presses a hand to her stomach as it twists painfully. Just as she turns to run, she gasps as she crashes into a broad chest and feels fingers curl slowly around her wrists.

 

“Don’t touch me!”

 

The entire room goes quiet as Evie sinks away from Jay, and her hand immediately goes to her wrist as she rubs the scars. Everything around her blurs together and her knees feel weak, and she barely feels it when they make contact with the hardwood floor of the dorm room. Evie can’t breathe, she feels like she’s back on the Isle. Every breath she takes, she can taste the stale salt in the air and she can smell the hint of fish that always seemed to linger on the pirates that harassed her. A sob breaks free as she curls her hands to her chest and tries to pull herself back to reality.

 

“E?”

 

Mal is there. Evie can hear her voice, and it calms her for only a moment. But as quick as it comes, it goes. Mal is on the boat, Mal is in danger. Her hands reach out and she grabs onto stiff leather before she pulls herself closer until she can replace the smell of salt with the familiar scent of strawberries. The second arms curl around her, Evie settles. She can feel her breath slowing as she tucks herself under Mal’s chin and matches her own breaths with the way Mal’s chest moves beneath her.

 

“You’re okay. You’re okay.”

 

As Mal continues to repeat the words, Evie allows them to lull her to sleep.

 

-

 

The first thing she feels when she wakes up is the soft brush of lips against her forehead. Normally, she would bask in it but it’s a touch that she hasn’t consented to so she instead pulls away with a hiss. She hesitantly opens her eyes and frowns as she sees Mal lying beside, and she glances around to see the splashes of blue and pink and she knows she’s back in her dorm room. With a whimper, Evie reaches for Mal and tugs her close until arms are curled so tightly around her that it aches.

 

“How did I get here?” Evie rasps.

 

Mal runs her fingers along the dips of her spine as she sighs, “Jay carried you back. You’ve been asleep since last night, and it’s already four in the afternoon.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Evie,” Mal begins as she pulls back so she can lock their gazes, and Evie flinches at the concern. “When is the last time that you slept?”

 

“I just did…”

 

“You know what I mean, princess.” Mal sighs.

 

Evie swallows hard as she begins to play with the soft material of Mal’s t-shirt, “Truth? I don’t really know. I sleep in little splurts, I try to sleep a lot during the day.”

 

“What’s going on with you, E?” Mal demands as she furrows her brow and pauses her fingers. “You’re not sleeping, you’re distant, and I have _never_ seen you react to Jay in a negative way.”

 

“I’ve...my anxiety is really bad.” Evie admits as she ducks her head. “I thought it was getting better, but then the nightmares started getting more intense. I just can’t get over what happened, Mal. I’ve tried, but I _can’t._ I’m so sorry.”

 

“Why are you apologizing?” Mal scoffs.

 

“I...I kissed her.” Evie whispers.

 

“Evie, don’t _ever_ apologize for what happened that night. You were...you didn’t want any of that and I know that.” Mal assures her as she runs a thumb over the dimple of her chin. “ _I’m_ the one who should be sorry, it happened because of me.”

 

“I’m falling apart, Mal.” Evie whimpers.

 

“And that’s why you have me. That’s why you have your parents and Ben.” Mal points out. “We’re here so you don’t have to fall apart, we’re here to hold you together.”

 

“I just don’t know how to get over it.” Evie murmurs after a moment. “I realize that I was under the influence of Uma’s spell, but...I remember what happened. I remember all the things I said to you. I remember how she touched me, how she kissed me, how she held me.”

 

Mal shifts herself so she can cup Evie’s face as her girlfriend’s chest begins to heave, “Shh. You’re okay. You’re here, you’re with me. You will never have to deal with Uma again, okay?”

 

“I want her out of my head.” Evie chokes out as she looks up at Mal with a desperate gaze. “Pl-Please get her out of my head.”

 

“Are you suggesting I…?” Mal frowns.

 

“Anything, Mal. Just...get her out of my head.” Evie begs as she clenches her jaw. “I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I can barely think straight.”

 

Mal brushes a thumb over Evie’s lips, “I’m not going to spell you.”

 

“Please, Mal!”

 

“No.” Mal snaps as her eyes flash, and Evie ducks back in surprise. “I won’t do that to you, it isn’t right. I know you want to forget, but casting a spell on you isn’t the way to do it.”

 

Evie sniffles, “Then how?”

 

“I don’t know, princess,” Mal confesses with a saddened frown. “But we’ll figure this out. You and me and the space between, remember?”

 

“You and me.” Evie nods.

 

“You need to sleep.” Mal notes as she looks her over.

 

“I’m fine.” Evie protests.

 

“You’re scared, but I’m here. If you even begin to make a single face in your sleep then I’ll wake you up. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Mal grins as she pushes Evie back down and slides behind her. “I am right beside you, okay?”

 

Evie pulls Mal’s arm around her waist and sniffles softly, “Will you sing to me?”

 

“Sure, princess. But don’t tell anyone because I’m rotten to the core and I don’t want anyone forgetting that.” Mal huffs, and and she smiles as Evie gives a small giggle.

 

“Okay.”

 

“A million thoughts in my head, should’ve let my heart keep listening. Cause up till now, I’ve walked the line. Nothing lost, but something missing. I can’t decide what’s wrong, what’s right. Which way should I go?”

  
Evie falls asleep to Mal’s soft voice, and for the first time in awhile she thinks that maybe she can do this. Maybe she can get better. Maybe there’s a way fight her inner demons. So long as she has her girlfriend and the people she loves, she thinks there’s a way to move past this.


	5. my sweater looks better on you

**“My clothes look good on you.”**

* * *

 

It starts with her favorite sweater.

The material is soft and twice her size, and she always feel so warm and safe when she wears it. It’s a gorgeous cream color, and her mom has a yellow one to match. On a rainy Sunday, when everyone is locked away in the dorm rooms studying, Evie goes digging for it. She knows she hung it up last Thursday, and she knows this because she had color coordinated her closet. But after three minutes of searching, she figures that somehow she’s just misplaced it. That is until Mal comes barging in the room without knocking, and Evie stops short at the sight of her. Her tiny girlfriend, in all her scowling glory, is swallowed by her sweater and her purple locks are twisted into a messy bun.

“Are you organizing your closet again?” Mal yawns.

Evie glances at her with a tilt of her head, “Where have you been all day?”

“Well, I was listening to Lonnie and Audrey argue about some chemistry question and it lulled me to sleep.” Mal replies as she drops onto Evie’s bed and stretches her limbs out. “So, what’s the closest theme this week?”

“There isn’t a theme.” Evie replies with a small grin as she crosses the room. “I was looking for a very comfortable sweater, my _favorite_ sweater.”

“And what does this sweater look like?” Mal asks.

Evie hums as she swings a leg over Mal’s lap so she can straddle her, “Well, first of all, it’s about two sizes too big.”

“Oh? Sounds comfy.” Mal smirks as she drags her hands up Evie’s thighs. “Tell me more.”

“It has a small hole in the left shoulder because I caught it on a nail when I was running through my house.” Evie continues as she tucks a loose strand of hair behind Mal’s ear.

Mal snorts and rolls her eyes “I love that to you your _castle_ is just your house. So, what color is this favorite sweater of yours?”

“Cream.” Evie chirps. “Have you seen it?”

“Maybe?” Mal offers before she dramatically glances down and looks back at Evie with a familiar glint in her eye. “Well, would you look at that, I guess it somehow accidentally ended up in my closet. Do you want it back, princess?”

“I do.” Evie pouts.

Mal smirks as she arches her head up to capture Evie’s lips with her own, “Then take it.”

Evie giggles and does just as she is ordered.

-

The next thing to go is one of her beanies.

Technically, the beanie isn’t _hers_. She stole it from Jay two years ago and he had never bothered to get it back. But now, as she trails Mal through the campus, she begs for the ratty old beanie back. It holds a lot of memories, including one of her and Ben pranking Jay and Chad so badly that they had cried. Unfortunately, Mal is as stubborn as they come and she merely ignores her girlfriend as she continues to walk through the quad with an indifferent expression. Eventually, Evie catches her hand and pulls her to a stop before she turns to face her and greets her with a frown.

“Mal, give it back!” Evie whines as she reaches for the black beanie, but her girlfriend is quick to duck away. “Come on, babe.”

Mal catches Evie’s hand as it darts towards her once again, “Nope. It’s mine. Finders keepers, losers weepers.”

“But it’s mine.” Evie points out.

“ _Was_. It was yours. Now, it’s mine. Look how hot I look in this.” Mal teases as she tilts her head, and Evie can’t help but soften subtly. “As your arm candy, I have to look my best.”

“Mal, there isn’t a single day that you don’t look your best.” Evie giggles as she frames Mal’s face and tilts her head up for a soft kiss. “But I seriously want my beanie back. I love that thing.”

“Hm…” Mal frowns. “Nah.”

Evie gives a playful growl as she sweeps Mal off her feet, and she can’t help but laugh at the very un-Mal like squeal that fills the air. In the middle of the quad, the couple pay no mind to the people that pass them glances as Mal struggles her way free and tries to run off only to be grabbed around the waist. Evie smiles into the crook of Mal’s neck as a hand creeps up before she successfully rips the hat off purple locks. Mal squeaks in surprise ss she turns in Evie’s hand and watches as her girlfriend shoves the black beanie onto her blue locks.

“Mine.” Evie beams.

Mal narrows her eyes playfully, “No fair.”

“All is fair in love and war.” Evie sings as she ducks her head.

“Ha.” Mal snorts as she grabs a hold of the sides of the beanie and pulls it down so it covers Evie’s eyes and nose. “No kisses for you!”

Evie struggles to get the beanie back on her head, and she lifts it just in time to watch her girlfriend race off. It doesn’t surprise her two days later when she sees Mal laughing with Jane while wearing that familiar black beanie, and this time she simply lets her keep it.

-

The final straw is her letterman.

The final game of the Tourney season explodes into dramatic throws and impressive rolls all the while Evie stands off to the side and happily cheers for her brother. Ben is fearless on the field, and he even body checks a player from the opposite team when he pauses in the middle of the game to wink at Evie. By the time the game ends, Auradon is crowned the winner and the excitement builds around the students as they all happily pile onto the field. Part of it is a little bittersweet for Evie, this is going to be the last game of Tourney she cheers for but the other part of her can’t wait to have more free time. The happiness around her causes her to go breathless and she can’t help but scan the crowd for her girlfriend.

It takes her a few minutes to look through the entire sea of yellow and blue, and then she glances towards the bleachers and swallows hard. Mal is the only one left, she is leaned back with her weight balanced on her elbow and a dark pair of sunglasses. But what catches her attention the most is the familiar letterman, _her_ letterman. Evie blinks herself from her daze as she fights her way through the groups of students and bounces her way up the bleacher stairs.

“Hi.” Evie grins.

Mal smirks as she reaches for an abandoned bag of popcorn and shovels a handful into her mouth, “You looked good out there, princess.”

“Thanks.” Evie chirps before her lips turn up into a smile that she knows drives Mal crazy. “My clothes look really good on you.”

“What?” Mal chokes as she bangs a fist against her chest and coughs out a kernel of popcorn. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“No,” Evie drawls. “Just stating the obvious.”

“Well, I know lettermen jackets are used to stamp claims on people,” Mal begins as she stands and moves her sunglasses to the top of her head. “But I wear this one to let everyone know that you are taken.”

“Interesting version of role reversal.” Evie nods.

“I’m just brilliant like that.” Mal shrugs as she glances over Evie’s shoulder. “So, how about I treat you to some dinner?”

“Lemme guess what’s on the menu,” Evie purrs as she tucks a finger in the belt loop of Mal’s jeans and pulls her close. “First course is a salad, light dressing. Second course is a lobster meal...well, lobster for me and chicken nuggets for you. And for dessert?”

“Well, you’ll just have to wait and see.” Mal replies as she tilts her head. “Got any requests though?”

Evie laughs softly against Mal’s lips as she pulls her closer, “As long as dessert includes that letterman somewhere on the floor, I’m good with anything.”

“Well, then you are very much going to enjoy your dessert.” Mal assures her as she pulls away to intertwine their fingers. “Come on, we gotta hurry before all the chicken nuggets go.”

With a beam, Evie allows herself to be dragged along and she really doesn’t mind the view; on the back of the letterman is her last name, her little stake of claim on Mal. Yeah, she knows she can definitely get used to sharing clothes.


	6. got a secret (gotta keep it)

**“It’s not what it looks like!”**

 

**“Will you marry me?”**

* * *

 

 

Everyone around them is getting married. Audrey and Ben’s wedding was last month, Jane and Chad’s is just around the corner, and Carlos and Jay are tying the knot in less than a week. Evie though? Evie isn’t even engaged. She plans the weddings and gushes with the brides, but she has yet to feel the same happiness all their friends do. She has thought about proposing to Mal on multiple occasions but marriage is something her girlfriend has always sneered at. So, Evie keeps her mouth shut and moves on quietly with her life. There’s a part of her that’s afraid, she’s terrified that Mal just doesn’t want to settle down with _her_. She’s afraid that this whole blissful thing they’ve had for the last six years is going to blow up in her face.

 

“Are you cooking?”

 

Evie jumps as she turns to see Carlos eagerly poking his head into the room, “I am. What are you doing here?”

 

“Jay and Mal ran off to go do something.” Carlos shrugs as he scuffles over to peek into the pan that Evie is slowly stirring. “You’re making homemade spaghetti? Can I stay and eat? _Please_? You’re the only one who cooks homemade meals.”

 

“Of course.” Evie laughs.

 

“Sweet.” Carlos beams as he dips his finger into the sauce before he pops his finger into his mouth with a satisfied hum. “So good.”

 

Evie grins as she focuses on keeping the sauce from sticking to the pan, “Where did Mal go? She didn’t even say goodbye.”

 

“I dunno. She just grabbed Jay and left.” Carlos shrugs. “Maybe it has something to do with the wedding?”

 

“Cute. I highly doubt Mal would involve herself in a wedding.” Evie scoffs as she furrows her brow. “I don’t even think she’d want to talk about our _own_ wedding...if we ever get married.”

 

“What do you mean?” Carlos frowns as he jumps onto the counter.

 

“She’s just...weird about that stuff.” Evie explains as she scrunches her nose. “She never wants to talk about it, and if I bring it up then she somehow manages to change the subject. I just feel like marriage isn’t something she wants.”

 

“But you’re Evie and Mal. You’ve been through hell and back together.” Carlos points out with wide, confused eyes. “You’re supposed to get married and prove to all of us that love exists.”

 

“Carlos, you’re getting married in a week,” Evie giggles as she rolls her eyes. “I’m pretty sure you already know what love is.”

 

Carlos gives a goofy smile, “Yeah.”

 

“I don’t know.” Evie sighs as her own smile slowly slides away. “I think marriage just isn’t in the cards for Mal and I.”

 

-

 

“That is...gigantic.” Mal breathes out.

 

Jay nods with wide eyes, “Whoa.”

 

“I mean, do you think she’ll like it?” Mal murmurs.

 

“This is Evie we’re talking about. The bigger, the better.” Jay chuckles as he glances to a wide eyed Mal. “You good?”

 

“I’m really going to do this.” Mal breathes out as she continues to stare at the engagement ring before her cheeks flush in shock. “I’m...I am actually going to ask Evie to marry me.”

 

“It’s not as scary as you think.” Jay shrugs. “I was terrified when I started thinking about proposing to Carlos, but my mom sat me down and talked to me about love and stuff and I realized it was definitely what I wanted. You love her, right?”

 

“Of course.” Mal scoffs. “More than anything.”

 

“Then what are you so afraid of? I mean, all that changes is her last name and her title. She’ll go from being your girlfriend to your wife.” Jay points as he nudges her and watches a grin play at her lips. “So, what do you think?”

 

“I think that I need to talk to Adam.” Mal sighs.

 

Jay beams excitedly, “Awesome.”

 

-

 

Mal sips her coffee as she looks through the magazines that Evie had bought for Jane. It kind of amazes her how much thought and planning apparently went into a wedding; there were flowers, venues, wedding cakes, table toppers, dresses, and invitations. Personally, all Mal wants is to be able to marry Evie in an intimate ceremony where they don’t have to worry about impressing anyone. She wants their day to be about them, and not about the royals that will flock to the wedding. Mal runs her fingers over a small section about wedding dresses and she can’t help but wonder what Evie’s will look like and how her blue hair will fall.

 

“Planning a wedding, babe?”

 

Mal is quick to jump her hand away from the magazine, “This isn’t what it looks like…”

 

“So, you weren’t looking at the bridal magazines I bought for Jane?” Evie teases as she brushes past Mal and presses a kiss to her cheeks.

 

“Well, I mean…” Mal trails off with a wince. “I was just thinking how stupid it all is. All that fuss for one day? What’s the point?”

 

Evie deflates as she forces a smile, “Totally.”

 

Mal cringes as Evie slowly leaves the room with a somber expression. With a groan, she drops her head to the counter and tries to remind herself that in four days she’ll be proposing. As much as she hates seeing Evie upset, she has a plan and she’s going to stick to it. With a determined breath, she lifts her head once more and reaches for the magazine as she flips back to the section discussing floral arrangements.

 

-

 

“Will you marry me?”

 

“No.”

 

Mal groans in frustration, “Audrey, come on.”

 

“That was the worst proposal, you had absolutely no emotion in your voice.” Audrey scolds as she folds her arms across her chest. “Mal, just think about how much you love her. Think about how happy she makes you.”

 

Jane nods along, “Just tell her about all the things you see when you look at her.”

 

“That’s a good start.” Lonnie hums.

 

“But don’t be too sappy.” Carlos offers with a shrug.

 

Mal swallows hard as she looks down at the blue ring box in her hand; she’s planning to propose later on that night, she has an entire date night set up at the lake where their first date was. Everything is perfect, except Mal can’t get the proposal down. She wants Evie to be able to gush about it, she wants it to be romantic, because that is exactly what Evie deserves. But every time she opens her mouth, every time the words choke their way up, they never seem good enough. She could go on for hours about Evie and all the things she loves about her, but Mal is afraid that if she starts then she probably won’t ever stop.

 

“Evelyn Isabelle,” Mal whispers as she lowers herself to one knee in front of Audrey. “The first time I saw you, I think my entire world lit up for the first time. I can’t say it was love at first sight, but it was _something_. And that something? That something just kept growing until you buried yourself so deep into my cold heart that I could feel it slowly beginning to thaw out.”

 

For a moment, Mal is able to replace Audrey’s face with Evie’s and a goofy smile appears on her face as she blushes.

 

“You are my constant, my strength. You have been, and always will be, my main priority. Your needs are my needs, your wants are my wants, and I will forever ensure that all of them are met.” Mal nods, and she clears her throat as a lump appears. “I love you, and I will _always_ love you. You taught me what this was, what it meant to be genuinely happy. I never want to be without you. You are the other half of my heart.”

 

Mal sucks in a breath and cracks open the ring box.

 

“Will you marry me?”

 

“Yes!”

 

The four voices snap her from her spell and she blinks in slight shock as she looks at four pairs of eyes that glisten with tears. Immediately, Mal grows uncomfortable as she quickly fumbles from her knee and awkwardly rubs the back of her head. She feels exposed, like she has let others see a side of her that was meant only for Evie. With a forced scowl, Mal snaps the ring box shut and shoves it deep in her pocket as she flashes her eyes from each person in the room.

 

“So?”

 

“Mal, that was beautiful.” Jane breathes out with wide eyes.

 

Carlos sniffles, “You were on fire, girl.”

 

“It was stunning, Mal.” Lonnie assures her.

 

“You’ve got this.” Audrey smiles. “There’s no way she’ll say no.”

  
Mal wraps her hand around the ring box, and silently hopes Audrey is right.


End file.
